Folding machine



May 9, 1967 E. F. STACEY FOLDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y mE m MT vs 3 T S E N Du E m m N RNEY E. F. STACEY FOLDING MACHINE May 9, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 15, 1964 I NVEN TOR. ERNEST F.. STACEY E. F. STACEY FOLDING MACHINE May 9, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 15, 1964 INVENTOR ERNEST F. STACEY TORNEY E. F. STACEY FOLDING MACHINE May 9, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed 001;. 15, 1964 INVENTOR. ERNEST F. STACEY y 1967 E.'F. STACEY 3,317,939

FOLDING MACHINE Filed 00 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. ERNEST F. STACEY TORNEY United States Patent Ofi ice 3,317,939 Patented May 9, 1967 3,317,939 FOLDING MACHINE Ernest F. Stacey, Hamilton, Mass, assignor to Rotary Machine Company, Lynn, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Oct. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 404,077 Claims. (Cl. 1255) This invention relates to shoe machinery, and particularly to an improved folding machine.

In a number of patents, particularly US. Patent Number 1,743,286 issued Jan. 14, 1930, and 1,925,205 issued Sept. 5, 1933, both to A. R. Ridderstrom, there is disclosed a folding machine, now known as a French Cord Machine, specially adapted for folding a binding strip, one edge of which has previously been affixed to the edge of leather or other material employed as a shoe upper.

Basically, such a machine has heretofore comprised a work-feeding roll for advancing the upper material through the machine, a plow positioned to engage and turn an edge of the advancing material, and a rotary head having a rotary series of folding discs cooperating with the plow and feed roll. The feed roll is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and in a direction which will carry upper material engaged therewith away from an operator. The rotary head is mounted with the working plane of the rotary series of discs at a precisely determined angle so that it engages the advancing upper material at a precisely determined working point.

The feed roll and plow together form a unit which is moveable toward and away from the rotary head in a substantially vertical direction. The feed roll is driven by an elongated horizontal shaft which is laterally moveable together with the unit. The rotary head is driven by another elongated horizontal shaft which is fixed laterally, both shafts being driven by a common power source through appropriate gearing. Typically, the drive shafts and gearing have been housed in and supported by journaling into a rigid frame.

As a consequence of this construction, servicing of the French Cord Machine, particularly the replacement of worn or stripped gears and journal bearings has been extremely diflicult. The usual practice, in order to avoid excessive down-time is to replace the entire machine at its working station, and provide factory service for the machine which has been replaced.

Additionally, the unit comprising the roll and plow has typically been carried on an arm extending radially from a rotary rocker shaft at one side of the working point and, therefore, moves in a substantially vertical arc about the axis of the rocker shaft. Current practice, as exemplified in US. Patent 1,907,243 issued May 2, 1933, to C. Ohristiansen, is to provide a support which carries the lower work supporting roll within a guide which is intended to prevent horizontal motion of the arm as it moves about the rocker shaft. However, this structure does not completely solve the problem of wear at the rocker shaft axis. Also, because a unit mounted on a rocker shaft still moves in an arc, the positioning of the feed roll changes angularly as the feed roll displacement from the rotary head varies with the thickness of material advancing through the machine. In the machine thus described, servicing and replacement of the feed roll requires disassembly of the entire rocker shaft, guide, and drive shaft assembly.

A principal object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide an improved French Cord Machine in which servicing can be carried out with considerably less effort and less down-time.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a French Cord Machine of the type described wherein there is included a readily demountable power transmission unit adapted to be coupled on one side thereof to a power source and on the other side thereof to drive shafts respectively to the rotary head and feed roll; to provide a power transmission unit of the type described which employes flexible belt drives; and to provide a power transmission of the type described wherein the transmission is mounted upon a single support plate which can be easily withdrawn or inserted in operative position in the French Cord Machine.

Yet other objects of the present invention are to provide a French Cord Machine of the type described wherein the feed roll is mounted for true rectilinear movement; to provide a single removea'ble unit comprising a frame having mounted thereon, the feed roll, a power transmission roll, means coupling the feed roll and power transmission roll to one another for mutual rotation, and a guide for mounting the unit for rectilinear movement toward and away from the working point.

Other objects of the present invention will in part appear hereinafter. The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing the construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective vie-w of a French Cord Machine embodying the principles of the present invention with certain parts removed for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 partly broken away and partly in fragment showing the operative relationship of certain parts of the machine;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the elements of a power transmission portion of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view partly in fragment showing the clutch arrangement for use with the power transmission of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a rocker assembly for moving the feed-roll assembly shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a unit of the invention including a feed roll as shown in the assembly of FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a French Cord Machine embodying the principles of the present invention, and comprising a hollow housing or frame 20 for enclosing and supporting elements of the machine. Housing 20 is roughly U-shaped and has a central housing portion 22 with a first arm portion 24 and second arm portion 26 appended thereto andcommunicating therewith. Disposed within central portion 22 is power transmission means shown generally at 28. Mounted on first arm portion 24 is rotary head assembly 30 which carries a series of rotary discs 32 which form the operative portion of the rotary head.- The discs are arranged substantially in a plane for rotation about an axis normal thereto, which axis extends at an angle transverse to the direction of feed head assembly 30, all of which is well known in the art and described in more detail in the above identified Ridderstrom patents. Head assembly 20 is driven by and coupled to transmission means 28 by drive shaft 33 shown in fragment in FIG. 2.

Mounted adjacent rotary head 30 is presser assembly 34 which is supported on moveable bracket 36. Presser assembly 34 also includes retainer roller 38 mounted for rotation bet-ween the arms of bifurcated element 40. The latter is preferably spring mounted so as to be resiliently urged toward the working point. Electrical heating unit 42 is provided for heating retainer roll 38. The mech- J anism and operation of the presser assembly in cooperation with the rotary head are more fully described in one or more of the aforesaid patents.

Mounted adjacent an end of second arm portion 26 is feed-roll assembly 44 which will be described in more detail hereinafter. Feed-roll assembly 44 is driven by and coupled to transmission means 28 by drive shaft 45 as shown in FIG. 2.

Referring specifically to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown in detail, the nature of transmission means 28. The latter comprises a unitary support or substantially rectangular base plate 46, one edge of which is adapted to fit into a channel provided, as in the bottom of central housing portion 22, by pairs (only one shown) of upstanding tab 47. An opposite edge of plate 46 is provided with support rackets 49 attached thereto, the brackets being appropriately drilled so that bolts or screws may be inserted therethrough for locking the plate to an upper section of housing portion 22.

Base plate 46 provides substantially the sole support for a number of rotatable elements arranged to transmit power to both shafts 33 and 45. To this end, there is provided main drive assembly 48, comprising journal box 50 adapted to fit within aperture 52 provided in plate 46. Journal box 50 bears perforated flange 54 so that box 50 can be mounted and maintained in fixed relation to plate 46 as by bolting or screwing to the latter through the perforations in the flange. Mounted in and extending from box 50 in opposite direction is main drive shaft 56 having main drive gear 58 and clutch wheel 60 secured adjacent respective ends thereof. Driving clutch disc or pulley 62 is freely mounted on shaft 56 adjacent and parallel with wheel 60 and is also moveable axially along shaft 56 in and out of engagement with wheel 60. Wheel 60 and pulley 62 are provided with clutch faces on their respective opposed surfaces so that when in engagement they become locked to one another. Pulley 62 has a thrust point or hub 64 secured thereto as a housing for the adjacent end of shaft 56.

Clutch operating means are provided and comprise rocker shaft 68 rotatably mounted on plate 46 as at 66. Secured at an intermediate portion of shaft 68 is treadleoperated, elongated arm 70, the latter being mounted intermediate its ends and extending laterally from the axis of shaft 68. One end of arm 70 is connected to a foot treadle (not shown) by appropriate means such as -link chain 72, and also supports brake shoe 74 adapted to engage the periphery of wheel 60. The other end of arm 70 is resiliently biased, as by spring 76 connected to frame 20, so as to urge brake shoe 74 into such engagement. Fixed to and extending laterally from an adjacent portion of shaft 68 is clutch operating arm 78. The latter supports adjacent is outer end, clutch cam 80. Arm 78 is moveable with rotation of shaft 68 so as to bring cam 80 into engagement with a portion of pulley 62, such as hub 64, for driving the pulley axially along shaft 56 into frictiona-l engagement with wheel 60. Arm 78 and arm 70 are disposed substantially perpendicular to shaft 68 but angularly with respect to one another such that when shaft 68 is rotated by the operation of the treadle to a position wherein cam 80 engages hub 64, brake shoe 74 is maintained out of engagement with wheel 60. On the other hand, the release of the foot treadle permits spring 76 to force brake shoe 74 into engagement with wheel 60, and cam 80 is moved out of engagement with pulley 62. The preferred embodiment includes spring means, not shown, for urging pulley 62 axially along shaft 68 out of engagement with wheel 60, when the position of cam 80 so permits.

In order to provide rotational power to shaft 56, the device shown includes motor means such as electrical motor 82 mounted, for example, externally of but on housing or frame and connected to pulley 62, preferably by drive belt 84. In order to transmit the rotational power of shaft 56 to shafts 33 and 45, the embodiment of the invention shown includes feed-roll drive assembly 86, rotary-head drive assembly 88, and reduction gear assern bly 90, all mounted upon plate 46.

Feed-roll drive assembly 86 comprises journal box or bearing 92 adapted to fit within aperture 94 in plate 46, and having a flanged end 96 which is bolted or screwed to plate 46. Mounted in and extending from bearing 92 is drive shaft 98 to which feed-roll drive gear 100 is secured. Shaft 98 extends through gear 100, and extending end 101 of shaft 98 is preferably hollow and provided with axial keyways 102. One end of shaft 45 which is intended to engage shaft 98 is dimensioned to fit coaxially in end 101 of shaft 98 and includes laterally extending pin 104 which is intended to fit within keyway 102 so as to lock shafts 98 and 45 for rotation with one another while permitting them to be axially disengaged.

Rotary head drive assembly 88 comprises journal box or bearing 106 supporting shaft 108 for rotation therein. One end of bearing 106 includes flange 110, the bearing being adapted to fit within aperture 112 in plate 46 such that flange abuts plate 46 and can be secured thereto. Mounted on shaft 108 and secured for rotation therewith are a pair of coaxial gears 114 and 116. End 117 of shaft 188 extends outwardly from gear 114 and 116 and is hollow and has axially extending keyways 118 cut into its sides. The end of shaft 33 which is intended to coaxially engage shaft 108 is dimensioned to fit within the end 117 of the latter and bears a laterally extending pin 120 which are intended to fit within keyway 118 for locking the two shafts for rotation together although permitting axial separation thereof.

Reduction gear assembly 90 comprises flanged journal box 122 which is intended to fit within aperture 124 of plate 46 with the flanged portion secured to the plate. Mounted in and extending from journal box 122 is a rotatable shaft 126 which bears a pair of adjacent coaxial gears 128 and 130 of different diameters.

As shown particularly in FIG. 2, drive shaft assembly 48, feed-roll drive assembly 86, rotary-head drive assembly 88, and reduction gear assembly 90 are all positioned on plate 46 to permit interconnections to be made amongst the gears such that power flowing from motor 82 into shaft 56 can *be readily transmitted to both shafts 33 and 45. Thus, flexible drive belt 132, of rub-her fabric or the like, couples main drive gear 58 to gear 114. A second preferably similar drive belt 134 is included and couples gear 116 to the larger gear 130 of the two gears of reduction gear assembly 90. Lastly, third belt 136, of similar construction to the others, is included for coupling smaller gear 128 to gear 100. With the drive mechanism thus described, it will be apparent that the rotation of shaft 56 in a given direction will be accompanied by rotation of shafts 98 and 108 in the same direction. Further, because of the reduction gearing provided by assembly 90, it will be observed that shaft 98 turns at a considerably lower rate than shaft 108. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that other gear and pulley arragements to effect the same ends can also be used. However, the arrangement shown is preferred, particularly in the use of flexible belt-and-gear coupling which permits of ready servicing and, in the event of any of the output shafts being jammed, insures against a gear being stripped inasmuch as the belt is intended to fail first. In such event and other circumstances such as hearing failure or the like, the entire transmission assembly thus described can be readily and simply removed as an integral unit from the machine upon unfastening bracket 49, disengaging pins 120 and 104 from keyways 118 and 102 by axially sliding shafts 33 and 45 respectively out of the open ends of shafts 108 and 98, and lifting the thus disengaged unit bodily out of housing portion 22.

As shown in FIG. 2, one end of shaft 45 releasably fits within end 181 of shaft 98. The other end of shaft 45 is coupled to feed-roll assembly 44. The central portion of shaft 45 is preferably a hollow tube so that one or both end portions of the shaft are axially slidable therein and are spring loaded for axial movement outwardly of the ends of the central portion. This construction allows shaft 45 to be disengaged from either or both of feed-roll assembly 44 or end 101 as hereinbefore described.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 6 which shows the details of the feed-roll assembly, there is seen end portion 140 of shaft 45. End portion 140 is substantially ball-shaped at its extremity and includes pins 142 extending normally to the axis of shaft 45.

Feed-roll assembly 44 includes feed-roll 144 comprising wheel 146 having circular peripheral surface 146 preferably of a material such as leather with a high coeflicient of friction, and central bore 148 having axially directed keyway 150 in the wall thereof. Feed roll 144 is mounted on axle 152, being fixed for rotation therewith due to the engagement of key 154 with slot 156 in axle 152 and with keyway 150'. Mounted coaxially with the feed roll and also keyed to axle 152 is feed-roll sheave 158'. Axle 152 is suspended in a horizontal manner with its ends supported in forked portion 160' of roll support 162 such that feed roll 144 and sheave 158 are free to rotate with axle 152. Support 162 comprises elongated slide block 164 from one end of which forked portion 160 extends, the slide block being adapted for a sliding fit along its long axis within guide bed 166. Drive sheave 168 is mounted on one end of axle 170 for rotation therewith, as by being keyed thereto. Axle 170 extends through and is supported by slide block 1 adjacent its opposite end. Both sheave 168 and sheave 158 are mounted to be substantially coplanar with their rotational axes substantially parallel and are connected for rotation with one another by belt 172. 174 of ax-le 170 is substantially hollow and provided with axial keyway or slot 176. End 174 is dimensioned so as to constitute a socket for ball 140, the motion of the latter in the socket being constrained by the engagement of pins 142 in slot 176. This ball and socket arrangement thus comprises a simple, limited type of flexible or universal joint which is readily disassembled.

Guide bed 166 is formed preferably as part of arm portion 26 of frame and is positioned such that the feed-roll assembly is slidable therein in a substantially vertical, rectilinear direction. The guide bed is shaped as an open trough, at least in the portion thereof through which block 164 is intended to slide. Releasably fastened cover plate 178 is provided for closing the open side of guide bed 166 and thus for holding the feed roll assembly in proper lateral position in the guide bed.

Means are preferably included for resiliently biasing the feed-roll assembly for limited movement in an upward direction in guide bed 166, and preferably takes the form of tube 180' extending axially from said opposite end of slide block 164. The tube 180 has axial slots 182 on opposite sides thereof through which extend pins 184. The latter are coupled to spring 186 mounted within and enclosed by tube 180.

The entire feed-roll assembly thus described is mounted in block 1 88. Block 188 has vertically extending hole 190 therein, into which tube 180 is adapted to fit and in the walls of which pins 184 are engaged as at lateral holes 192. A pair of rocker pins '194 extend from opposite sides of block 188 in a direction substantially normal to the long axis of block 164.

The entire feed-roll assembly 44, comprising blocks 164 and 188 and the axles, sheaves and drive belt mounted thereon, is intended to be slidably moveable as an integral unit within guide bed 166. In addition, the entire assembly, upon removal of cover plate 178 from guide bed 166, can be removed, as for repair or replacement of parts, merely by axially disengaging ball 140 and pins 142 respectively from end 174 and slots 176. 1 As means for sliding the entire feed-roll assembly along bed 166 (Le. moving feed roll 144 in and out The other end.

of operative position with respect to discs 32 on rotary head 30), there is provided a foot-operated linkage shown particularly in FIGS. 2 and 5 comprising elongated first rocker beam 196. Beam 196 has a double-tined, forked end 198 wherein each tine 200 includes a slot 202 sub stantially along a plane through the tines. Each slot 202 is dimensioned so that a corresponding one of pins 194 will fit snugly therein. The opposite end of first beam 196 has plate 204 secured thereto and extending substantially in a plane parallel to the plane through the tines of the opposite end. First beam 196 is pivotally mounted on bed 20, as by mounting means 206, intermediate its ends for rotation in a direction substantially normal to the plane of plate 204. The latter includes an elongated portion 208 extending approximately parallel to the long axis of first beam 196 and being connected at its extremity to bed 20 by resilient means such as spring 210. First beam 196 is so disposed that when pins 194 are engaged in respective slots 202, the feed-roll assembly is properly positioned for sliding fit within bed 166. Spring 210 and beam 196 thus constitute means for biasing the entire feed-roll assembly toward rotary head assembly 30. Adjustable limit stop means, such as pin 212 mounted in bed 20, are provided for limiting the upward movement of the feed-roll assembly under the bias of spring 210.

Means are provided for overcoming the bias of spring 210 and comprises elongated second rocker beam 214 mounted intermediate its ends for rotation on bed 20, as by mounting means 216, so as to be roughly coaxial with first beam 196. One end of second beam 214 supports engagement element or button 218 which is positioned to contact a surface of plate 204. The other end 217 of second beam 214 is pivotally connected to means, such as rod 220, for connecting the beam to a foot-operated treadle (not shown). End 217 is also pivotally connected to means such as rod 222 for moving presser assembly 34. The mechanism connecting rod 222 and assembly 34 is well-known in the art and need not be further described or shown.

The axes of rotation of the two beams are preferably non-parallel so that the two beams can rotate in planes angularly disposed to one another. This structure permits the second beam to be rotated in the plane in which both treadle connecting rod 220 and rod 222 lie, while the first beam rotates in a plane which is canted toward the position an operator of the machine would assume.

In operation, when a foot-treadle is stepped on so as to pull rod 220 downwardly, second beam 214 is rotated clockwise (with reference to the structure of FIG. 5) urg ing button 218 against the underside of plate 204. This tends to rotate first beam 196 in a counter-clockwise direction against the bias provided by spring 210. The engagement of slots 202 with pins 196 converts this rotation of beam 196 into true rectilinear movement of entire feed-roll assembly 44 within bed 166 away from the operative position of the feed roll and rotary head, thereby allowing, for example, a work piece of material to be inserted easily between the feed roll and rotary head. Release of pressure on this foot treadle permits reverse motion of the beams under the influence of spring 210 until either limit stop 212 arrests beam 196 or the thickness of the work piece stops upward motion of assembly 44.

It will be apparent that the maintenance of feed roll 144 in firm contact with a work piece passing through the machine is due to the combined forces exerted by springs 210 and 186. The force provided by the former is preferably considerably greater than the bias provided by spring 186. Thus, while spring 210 insures that the entire assembly 44 is forced into its operative position unless otherwise moved by appropriate force on rod 220, spring 186 is intended to provide the resiliency whereby the spacing between feed roll 144 and the rotary head will be adjusted continuously according to variations in the thickness of the work piece as it passes through the machine. Thus, the elfects of such variations in workpiece thickness are substantially limited to linear motion of slide block 164 and the elements supported thereon, and are not transmitted to any appreciable extent to linkage shown in FIG. 5.

Portion 224 of assembly 44 adjacent fork 160 is preferably beveled and provides a support to which plow 226 is adjustably fastened as by mounting screw 228 shown in FIG. 1. Plow 226 is therefore preferably moveable with the elements of feed-roll assembly 44. The structure, positioning, relation to the feed-roll and rotary discs, and function of the plow are well-known in the art and described in detail, particularly in aforesaid U.S. Patent 1,925,205.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a folding machine having a work-feeding roll for advancing material through the machine, a plow for turning an edge of the material, a rotary head having a rotary series of folding discs cooperating with said roll and plow for folding said edge into contact with said material, and a substantially rigid frame for supporting the elements of said machine, the improvement comprising,

a power transmission for driving said head and roll,

said transmission including,

a unitary plate removably mounted in said frame; and

first and second commonly powered means for respectively driving at different speeds said series of discs and said work-feeding roll from a remote source of rotational power and being releasably coupled to said series, said roll and said source;

said means all being mounted on said plate as substantially the sole support thereof.

2. In a folding machine having a work-feeding roll for advancing material through the machine, a plow for turning an edge of the material, a rotary head having a rotary series of folding discs cooperating with said roll and plow for folding said edge into contact with said material, and a substantially rigid frame for supporting the elements of said machine, the improvement comprising:

a power transmission for driving said head and roll,

said transmission including -a unitary plate removably mounted in said frame; first means releasably connected to said rotary head for driving said series of discs at a first rotational speed;

second means releasably connected to said work-feeding roll for driving the latter at a second rotational speed;

means coupling said first and second means so that said second speed is a fixed fraction of said first speed; and means for releasably coupling one of said means to a source of a rotational power;

all of said means being mounted for rotation on said plate which constitutes substantially the sole support thereof.

3. In a folding machine having a work-feeding roll mounted on a first drive shaft for advancing material through the machine, a plow for turning an edge of the material, and a rotary head connected to a second drive shaft and having a rotary series of folding discs cooperating with said roll and plow for folding said edge into contact with said material, the improvement comprising:

a power transmission for driving said head and roll,

said transmission including a unitary plate removably mounted in said machine;

a first gear secured for rotation on a third shaft;

means for releasably coupling said third and first shafts for rotation with one another;

a second gear secured for rotation on a fourth shaft;

means for releasably coupling said forth and second shafts for rotation with one another reduction gear means;

means connecting said reduction gear means between said first and second gears;

means releasably connecting said third shaft to a source of rotational power;

said reduction gear means and said third and fourth shafts all being mounted directly on said plate which constitutes substantially the sole support thereof.

4. In a folding machine having a work-feeding roll mounted on a first drive shaft for advancing material through the machine, a plow for turning an edge of the material, and a rotary head connected to a second drive shaft and having a rotary series of folding discs cooperating with said roll and plow for folding said edge into contact with said material, the improvement comprising a power transmission for driving said head and roll,

said transmission including a unitary plate removably mounted in said machine,

first gear means secured for rotation on a third shaft,

said third shaft being releasably coupled to said first shaft for rotation with one another;

second gear means secured for rotation on a fourth shaft, said fourth shaft being releasably coupled to said second shaft for rotation with one another;

a pair of coupled reduction gears coaxially mounted on a fifth shaft;

drive gear means secured for rotation on a sixth shaft;

a first flexible belt connected to said drive gear means for releasably coupling the latter to a source of rotational power;

a second flexible belt connecting said drive gear means to said first gear means;

a third flexible belt connecting said first gear means to one of said reduction gears;

a fourth flexible belt connecting said second gear means to the other of said reduction gears;

said third, fourth, fifth and sixth shafts all being mounted directly on said plate which constitutes substantially the sole support thereof.

5. In a folding machine having a work-feeding roll for advancing material through the machine, a plow for turning an edge of the material, a rotary head having a rotary series of folding discs cooperating with said roll and plow for folding said edge into contact with said material, and a rotatable shaft for providing rotational power for driving said roll, the improvement comprising:

a unitary assembly including a support element having said roll rotatably mounted thereon and means for flexibly coupling said roll to said shaft; and

means for moving said unitary assembly rectilinearly to and from operative relation with said rotary head.

6. The improvement in a folding machine as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for moving said assembly includes a guide bed in which said assembly is slidingly movable, and means for sliding said assembly along said bed, said bed being shaped for providing substantially rectinlinear restraint on a sliding motion of said assembly.

7. In a folding machine having a work-feeding roll for advancing material through the machine, a plow for turning an edge of the material, a rotary head having a rotary series of folding discs cooperating with said roll and plow for folding said edge into contact with said material, and a rotatable shaft for providing rotational power for driving said roll, the improvement comprising:

a unitary assembly including an elongated support element having said roll rotatably mounted adjacent one end thereof, rotatable means mounted adjacent the other end thereof, means coupling said roll and rotatable means for rotation with one another, and means for flexibly and releasably coupling said rotatable means to said shaft;

a guide bed in which said assembly is slidably and releasably disposed;

means for sliding said assembly along said bed, said bed being so shaped and positioned as to provide substantially rectilinear restraint on sliding motion of said assembly to and from operative relation with said rotary head.

8. The improvement in a folding machine as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for sliding said assembly along said bed include resilient means for biasing said assembly toward said operative relation.

9. The improvement in a folding machine as defined in claim 8 wherein said assembly includes means for resiliently biasing said roll toward said operative relation.

10. In a folding machine having a work-feeding roll for advancing material through the machine, a plow for turning an edge of the material, a rotary head having a rotary series of folding discs cooperating with said roll and plow for folding said edge into contact with said material, and a rotatable shaft for providing rotational power for driving said roll, the improvement comprising:

a unitary assembly including an elongated support frame having said roll rotatably mounted on a second shaft adjacent one end thereof, a rotatable element mounted adjacent the other end thereof, a belt drive connecting said element to said shaft for driving said roll, and releasable means for flexibly coupling said rotatable shaft with said element;

a guide bed in which said assembly is disposed and restrained for rectilinear sliding movement substantially along the axis of elongation of said frame, and including releasable means for holding said assembly in lateral position in said bed; and

rotatable means releasably engageable adjacent said other end of said assembly for sliding the latter along said bed.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,743,286 1/1930 Ridderstrom 12-55 1,925,205 9/1933 Ridderstrom 1255 2,021,953 11/1935 Bishop 12-55 2,438,917 4/1948 Kamborian 128.3

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A FOLDING MACHINE HAVING A WORK-FEEDING ROLL FOR ADVANCING MATERIAL THROUGH THE MACHINE, A PLOW FOR TURNING AN EDGE OF THE MATERIAL, A ROTARY HEAD HAVING A ROTARY SERIES OF FOLDING DISCS COOPERATING WITH SAID ROLL AND PLOW FOR FOLDING SAID EDGE INTO CONTACT WITH SAID MATERIAL, AND A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID FRAME FOR SUPPORTING THE ELEMENTS OF SAID MACHINE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING, A POWER TRANSMISSION FOR DRIVING SAID HEAD AND ROLL, SAID TRANSMISSION INCLUDING, A UNITARY PLATE REMOVABLY MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME; AND FIRST AND SECOND COMMONLY POWERED MEANS FOR RESPECTIVELY DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS SAID SERIES OF DISCS AND SAID WORK-FEEDING ROLL FROM A REMOTE SOURCE OF ROTATIONAL POWER AND BEING RELEASABLY COUPLED TO SAID SERIES, SAID ROLL AND SAID SOURCE; SAID MEANS ALL BEING MOUNTED ON SAID PLATE AS SUBSTANTIALLY THE SOLE SUPPORT THEREOF. 